School of Communication
At NAU’s School of Communication, creativity, curiosity and professionalism meet through storytelling, media, design, and research. You’ll graduate ready to inform, inspire, and shape the conversations that move the world forward.
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#1 public relations school in Arizona
Where creativity and professionalism meet
If you’re drawn to telling stories, creating content, or designing bold visuals, this is the place to begin. You’ll benefit from hands-on learning and mentorship whether you’re making films, writing stories, capturing images, or designing campaigns, all while studying how communication shapes the world around us. Turn your creativity into a career with state-of-the-art labs, supportive faculty, opportunities that build experience and grow your professional network.
What you can expect
Programs at NAU’s School of Communication prepare you to think critically, communicate clearly, and engage with a wide range of audiences. Whether you want to work in journalism, film, public relations, photography, digital design, or pursue an MA in Communication, our programs connect passion with purpose.
The School of Communication at NAU offers undergraduate degrees in Photography, Communication Studies, Journalism, Creative Media and Film, Visual Communication, and Strategic Communication, as well as a Master of Arts in Communication. You’ll gain experience reporting news, creating strategic campaigns, analyzing culture and relationships, producing films, designing visual content, and capturing images that tell stories. Each program blends academic depth with immersive practice, ensuring that students graduate with a strong portfolio of work, practical skills, and the adaptability to lead in industries where communication drives change.
Why study Communication at NAU
With small class sizes, supportive faculty, and spaces designed for creativity, you’ll join a community that is both personal and empowering, one that helps you grow into a communicator ready to inform, inspire, and ignite change.
Professional spaces where learning meets doing
Learning happens by doing at the School of Communication. You’ll gain professional experience in state-of-the-art facilities like the Media Innovation Center (MIC), with its live TV studios, radio booths, podcast suites, and editing bays. The Advanced Media Lab (AML) pushes creative boundaries with resources for VR/AR, e-sports, and live-streaming, while the VisualDESIGNlab partners with campus and community clients on real-world design and media projects. Add in opportunities with NAZ Today, The Lumberjack, KJACK Radio, and our award-winning Forensics debate team, and you’ll graduate ready to step into professional roles with confidence, creativity, and hands-on know-how.
Mentors behind the messages that matte
Faculty bring industry insight and creative energy into every classroom, studio, and newsroom. Small class sizes mean professors know your name and help you connect your passion to internships, research, and scholarships. At the School of Communication, you’ll be supported by mentors who are as invested in your success as you are.
Community impact
The School of Communication extends its reach beyond the classroom through summer camps and workshops that spark creativity and build confidence in high school students. Programs like the Indigenous Youth Media Workshop and the Hispanic/Latine Youth Media Workshop give participants the chance to explore filmmaking, photography, broadcast, animation, VR, game design, and more, all in NAU’s state-of-the-art studios and labs. At the School of Communication, we value connection and growth, and want to inspire the next generation of storytellers and leaders.
Career pathways across industries
A degree from the School of Communication doesn’t just open doors, it prepares students to walk through them with confidence. NAU School of Communication graduates are producing for NBC’s Today Show, reporting for the Associated Press, designing for global firms like Wieden+Kennedy, publishing with Penguin Random House, and leading campaigns in nonprofits, healthcare, sports media, and beyond.
Students prepare for these opportunities through structured internships guided by a coordinator and supported by faculty mentors. With professional connections across industries and hundreds of thousands of dollars in scholarships awarded each year, students graduate with the portfolio and professional network to succeed.

Take the next step
School of Communication degrees
School of Communication undergraduate degrees
- BA in Communication Studies
- BS in Communication Studies
- BS in Communication Studies with Organizational Communication emphasis
- BS in Creative Media and Film with Documentary Storytelling emphasis
- BS in Creative Media and Film
- BS in Creative Media and Film with Independent Filmmaking emphasis
- BS in Creative Media and Film with Media Studies emphasis
- BSJOUR in Journalism
- BS in Photography
- BS in Strategic Communication
- BS in Strategic Communication with Advertising emphasis
- BS in Strategic Communication with Public Relations emphasis
- BFA in Visual Communication
- BFA in Visual Communication with Animation emphasis
- BFA in Visual Communication with Graphic Design emphasis
I owe everything to the NAU School of Communication and the journalism program. Through working for NAZ Today, KJACK Radio and The Lumberjack, I received years of valuable experience working in multiple forms of media, starting from the time I stepped on campus. Not only that, I've made lifelong friends and connections with so many incredible professors who supported me from the very beginning. I received so many incredible opportunities to cover sports at every level, and felt so prepared to work in journalism after college because of the program.


Ready to apply?
Start your journey in a community of creative professionals and passionate storytellers. Whether you're interested in design, media production, or strategic communication, the School of Communication is where your future begins.

Support the next generation of storytellers
Your gift to the School of Communication helps fuel student creativity, confidence, and career readiness. Donations go directly to supporting student projects, access to state-of-the-art equipment, and hands-on learning opportunities that shape the future of media, design, and communication. Help us continue to empower emerging voices.